Creative Writing
Coursework
The Master of Creative Writing is designed to enable students to explore and develop skills in fiction, non-fiction, poetry and other forms of writing in a stimulating academic environment. Emphasis is on developing core skills of writing, structuring and editing in tandem with understanding theories, histories and practices of writing. Our students work in experimental or traditional ways within, across or between genres and media. We offer you intimate access to Sydney’s literary life, including a constant calendar of readings, performances, major literary and cultural events, and a host of celebrated visitors. We support all kinds of literary ambition in a setting that builds capacity, encourages diversity and experimentation, and supports professional writing.
As well as core units in the fundamentals of research-led creative practice, critical contexts for creative writing and, writers at work, we offer specialised multi-genre workshop units focussing on narrative writing, experiments in form and life writing.
In many units of study you will work in small groups with distinguished staff and visitors to extend and deepen your writing and close reading skills, thinking and engagement with the work of others. As well as coursework, all master's students undertake a substantial, individually supervised creative dissertation or project and participate in a lively calendar of readings, talks and symposia.
Writers on staff include Vanessa Berry, Belinda Castles, Toby Fitch, Peter Minter and Beth Yahp. Visitors to the program have included Peter Boyle, Pam Brown, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Michael Farrell, Carla Harryman, Lyn Hejinian, Gail Jones, Michelle de Kretser, David Malouf, Drusilla Modjeska, Eileen Myles, Felicity Plunkett, John Tranter, Barrett Watten, Ceridwen Dovey, Julie Koh, Michael Mohammed Ahmad, Kate Forsyth, Mireille Juchau, Fiona McFarlane and Charlotte Wood.
See also: English Studies
Awards and requirements
Please refer to the course rules in this handbook for information on the specific admission requirements for different award courses.
Master of Creative Writing
Candidates for the Master of Creative Writing must complete 72 credit points of units of study, including:
- 18 credit points from core units of study
- a minimum of 6 credit points and maximum of 12 credit points from capstone units of study
- a minimum of 18 credit points and maximum of 36 credit points from workshop selective units of study
- a minimum of 6 credit points and a maximum of 30 credit points from elective units of study.
Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing
Candidates for the Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing must complete 48 credit points of units of study, including:
- 18 credit points from core units of study
- a minimum of 18 credit points and a maximum of 24 credit points from workshop selective units of study
- a maximum of 12 credit points from electrive units of study.
Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing
Candidates for Graduate Certificate in Creative Writing must complete 24 credit points of units of study, including:
- a minimum of 6 credit points from core units of study
- 12 credit points from workshop selective units of study
- a maximum of 6 credit points from elective units of study.
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the Master of Creative Writing, a student will be able to:
| No. | Learning outcome |
|---|---|
| 1 | Demonstrate an understanding of recent disciplinary or practice developments, and apply principles and methods of practice-led or mixed-mode research to your creative writing practice and projects. |
| 2 | Reflect critically on your own and others' creative practice in relation to (inter)disciplinary skills and knowledge, and creatively implement such skills and knowledge in your own work. |
| 3 | Independently investigate, analyse and synthesise complex information and problems, and execute and incorporate different kinds of research for your creative practice and projects. |
| 4 | Describe and evaluate complex ideas from current debates in creative writing practice (poetics) and pedagogy, as well as relevant textual and critical theory and practice. |
| 5 | Demonstrate communication and technical research skills to justify and interpret your findings and conclusions to specialist and general audiences. |
| 6 | Design and implement sophisticated creative writing projects, and usefully evaluate, critique and refine your own and others' work through a collaborative workshop process. |
| 7 | Analyse, theorise and apply (inter)disciplinary developments that contribute to professional and ethical best practice and scholarship. |
| 8 | Create, design, develop and execute and independent capstone research-based dissertation project and/or piece of scholarship. |
Reduced volume of learning (RVL)
Candidates who have completed previous study in a relevant discipline may be eligible for a reduction in the requirements in accordance with the table below:
| Level of prior learning | Full-time duration | Credit points to complete |
|---|---|---|
| AQF Level 7 eg. a bachelor's degree in the Humanities, Social Sciences or Law | 1.5 years | 72 |
| Relevant professional experience equivalent to a Graduate Certificate | 1 year | 48 |
| AQF Level 8 eg. Honours in a relevant discipline | 1 year | 48 |
Contacts and further information
Contact details can be found on these websites:
Department of English
School of Literature, Art and Media